Define Scandalous:
Disgraceful; shameful or shocking; improper
Dictionary.com
Making people shocked and upset
Oxford Cambridge dictionary
In a world filled with religions there are so many rules like;
- Don’t eat this, don’t do that, say this prayer, read this holy book
- Make this pilgrimage, observe this holiday, fast from this or that
- You must be ashamed of yourself and pay penance for your sins
- Follow what the holy man says, he understands how this stuff works
- Do not question the system
After all, God sits on the throne in heaven with a bucket of lightning bolts, just waiting to execute judgement on you when you mess up. He’s been angry with the sinful world ever since Eve gave Adam that apple to eat.
That’s not what Jesus talked about as he walked the hills and valleys of Israel and taught the multitudes sitting on the hillsides and seashore. He ridiculed the whole idea of religion and its impossible requirements to attain favor from the Holy One. Works, works, works, endless futile works to acquire enough brownie points to make the grade and somehow “make it into heaven”.
The paths of religion are as many and varied as man’s imagination, but all end in the same frustration. We just can’t be good enough, even though we try so hard. We even compare ourselves to others who are “more evil” than us to prove that we will get a pass and make it past those pearly gates.
The scandal is that Jesus came to tell us that we don’t have to try to be good enough, because He knows its not possible. Through His overwhelming love for us He has already made us “good enough”. He took all our sins and evil into Himself on the cross and carried them away as far as the east is from the west.
The Gospel flies in the face of all religion. Jesus shatters all the assumptions man has made in his quest for God. This is the scandalous nature of the Gospel. It makes no sense to the Religious mind. It makes no sense to the Rational mind. It’s nonsense to the scientific mind. But the mind blowing truth is, Jesus and what He said. Many find it too good to possibly be true but, but wouldn’t an all loving Father God “break all the rules” to redeem the children He loves!